Saving You
by praywritelove
Summary: When Fred and Daphne go to investigate a haunted mansion, things start out rocky. Without the rest of the mystery solving gang there to aid them, will they survive their most dangerous case yet? In the end, who will save whom? (Just starting out so this will probably be rather short. Thanks for reading!) Going to update this week!
1. A New Case and Arguement

The chilling autumn breeze rustled the decaying leaves scattered across the cobblestone pathway. Naked branches bent down to snatch anyone who dared trespass on the neglected and ghostly estate. Eerie howls could be heard off in the distance as if to warn of the dangers that dwelled ahead.

Daphne gingerly exited the Mystery Machine and gasped softly at brisk temperature that differed greatly from the cozy warmth of the van.

_I just know something bad is going to happen, _Daphne predicted as she took in her foreboding surroundings. _Fred just has to solve every mystery that crosses his path! _With an angry huff, the red head glared at the handsome blonde. The two had argued most of the journey in regard to their latest case.

"_Daphne, nothing is going to happen. You're getting upset over nothing!" Fred dismissed her fears patronizingly as he maneuvered the Mystery Machine through the deserted streets._

"_Velma, Shaggy and Scooby are out of town Fred! No one will be there to watch our back. This mystery is way too dangerous to solve on our own." Daphne's voice pleaded as she laid a hand on his forearm. "Please Freddy!"_

_Fred's determination almost broke at the use of his nickname. It rolled so easy off her full lips and tugged at his heartstrings so much that he almost swallowed his pride and turned the van around, almost…_

"_Don't you think I can protect us from some goon in a mask?" Fred did not anger easily but Daphne's lack of faith in him caused him to raise his voice a few decibels. "I would think that after everything we've…"_

"_Seriously, Fred!" Daphne interrupted her own temper rising. "This has nothing to do with your capabilities. No one who has entered Mallory Mansion has come out again! It is idiotic for just the two of us to go in there alone, armed with nothing but your traps!"_

_If anything made Fred angry, it was someone questioning his trapping abilities. _

"_Well, I'd like to see you succeed in catching a criminal!" He lashed back, nursing his bruised ego. "At least I have a strategy! You get kidnapped and wait for me and my TRAPS to save you!" Secretly, while Fred's heart plummeted whenever she was in danger, it felt amazing to be her knight in shining armor. Whenever he rescued her and Daphne looked up at him with a look of unabashed adoration gleaming in her violet eyes… Wait, they were arguing._

"_Oh please! We're lucky if your stupid traps even work; forget about saving me and catching the culprit!" Daphne despised being the damsel in distress but when they were reunited, she could clearly see the love in his cerulean blue eyes that he squelched and refused to feel._

_Fred let out an indignant huff and turned down an old dirt road barely visible in the inky darkness. Distracted by their argument, Daphne was surprised when she looked up and noticed they were nearing the estate. 'Fine!' she resolved. 'I just hope when this is over, I'm still alive to say I told you so and he's still alive to hear it!'_

"_We'll see who ends up saving who Daphne." After that everything was quiet in the vehicle as it neared the mansion. The colorful van parked in front of the rusty gate and they both stared at the decrepit building, neither of them knowing the horrible events fate had in store for them that cold, black night._


	2. Infiltrating the Dark

_She is so infuriating! _Fred growled to himself as he followed Daphne out of the Mystery Machine. _She does have a point though, this place would give a vampire chills._

Daphne and Fred started down the weather-worn cobblestone pathway, walking as far away from each other as its narrow width would allow. Fred had a white knuckle grip on the flashlight illuminating their path to the house. They were just within thirty feet of the house when a loud noise disturbed their tumultuous thoughts.

_**Whoosh…**_

The rustling was closest to Daphne, who jumped in fright and quickly latched onto Fred's arm. Hiding a smile of satisfaction, he quickly shone the light on the bushes that omitted the noise. The light revealed no clue as to the culprit.

"W-What was that Freddy?" Daphne queried, trying to hide the quiver in her voice. _Wait._ She released his arm reluctantly; _I have to be braver than this if I'm going to prove anything to macho-man over here. _

Staring at her in puzzlement, Fred answered "I'm not sure. It's probably only a squirrel or a bird, no need to be scared." _I hope…_ He added silently.

"I am not scared."

"You jumped over here pretty quickly for someone who isn't frightened." Fred's lips curved upwards slightly.

"Well I-I wanted to make sure you were alright!" Marching forward, Daphne realized she was a terrible liar.

"Aw. It's alright Daph. It even made me jump a little."

"That only proves I am tougher than you Frederick Jones."

"Yeah, sure…" Fred mumbled under his breath as he rolled his eyes. He let out a soft chuckle as he caught up with Daphne. _She certainly is determined on proving…_

Fred's thoughts were interrupted when Daphne stopped in her tracks suddenly.

"What is it Daph?" his tone was concerned, despite their quarrelling.

"Someone is upstairs. There was a shadow in the window." Daphne answered, this time managing to keep a calm exterior, keeping any conflicting emotions at bay. Fred followed her eyes and analyzed the smeared pane.

"Well whatever was there is gone now." He responded, not even considering questioning her judgment. He trusted her. "Let's see if we can find a way to get into this place."

Hesitantly following him towards the front door, Daphne prayed that the figure she saw was merely a figment of her overactive imagination. Rattling noises jarred her from her thoughts as she watched Fred struggle to get the large door of the Mallory Mansion open.

"It's locked Fred." She watched as he stepped away from the door and rammed it with his shoulder over and over again.

"Really… what… makes… you… say… that?" Fred responded sarcastically between each impact. A small giggle managed to escape from her mouth and Fred turned to face her with a mischievous grin.

"Alright, why don't you try it Sherlock."

"I think I will." _Goodness, men, they think the only way to get out of a sticky situation is brute force. _Daphne walked up to the entrance cautiously to avoid the rotting floorboards and whipped out a small bag. She dug out two small, thin picks and began to tinker with the lock. After a few minutes Fred began to grow slightly impatient.

"Almost got it Daph? We can always climb in through a window or find another entrance."

"Patience is a virtue Freddy."

He rushed to conceal the dopey grin that appeared on his face. _She used my nickname again. That means she can't be quite as mad as she let on. _A slow, ominous creek signaled the end of his daydreams. Fred guided the flashlight reveal what was beyond the threshold of the door.

Dust and cobwebs mingled with broken down old furniture in the darkness. Fred and Daphne exchanged a glance and slowly entered the mansion. Neither of them however acknowledged the question that lingered unwanted in the back of their minds. _**Would they both leave the house again alive?**_


	3. On A Staircase

_**Thank you so much to everyone who is reading this and has reviewed! I wasn't sure how good this was, being my first attempt at fanfiction. Anyways, let me know what you think and if you have any ideas. Love you all!**_

* * *

The decaying floorboards wailed in agony under Fred's weight as he entered the haunted house. Daphne soon followed, not wanting to lag behind. _God, this place smells awful,_ she thought to herself. _Hopefully we'll be in and out of this wretched mansion soon._ Little did she know Fred was experiencing similar thoughts.

_This is one mystery we won't be splitting up on. This place gives me the creeps. _Fred wandered over towards the fireplace and studied the yellowed pictures in frames that rested on the mantle. A loud crash resounded behind him and Fred whipped around, the fist not clutching the flashlight ready to strike. He realized, however, his right hook was not needed as he stared down at the blushing red head.

"Daph? How did you manage that?" Fred smirked as he helped her up from the floor. Daphne regained her balance with an indignant grunt and righted the chair she tripped over in her bought of clumsiness.

"This place is pitch black, Fred! And you have the flashlight, so how do you expect me to see where I'm going!" Fred's smile had not escaped Daphne's notice.

"I'm sure you would've managed to trip on something even if you saw where you were going, Daphne." As soon as the words exited his mouth, Fred regretted them.

"Frederick Jones! You make me so mad!" Daphne's temper, barely controlled from earlier, now raged unchecked.

"I'm sorry Daph, I shouldn't…"

"You know what? I'm going to search for clues upstairs. Go make a trap or something!"

_Who does he think he is? I'm not that uncoordinated! Well, he can search by himself!_

_What's her problem? My traps are amazing and she knows I hate being called Frederick!_

In her anger, Daphne no longer was stepping gingerly around the rotting floorboards. She stomped up the stairs, oblivious to the loud creeks of the steps. Fred, equally as careless, trumped up behind her. _This place is too dangerous for us to split up, _Fred resolved.

"Now wait a second Daphne, we can't seperate. Like you said, the rest of the gang isn't here and this mystery could quickly become dangerous. So we probably shouldn't…"

"Aha! So know your admitting this case could be dangerous! I knew we shouldn't have done this. You are so…"

Daphne stopped suddenly when she realized how close they were. She was only one step above Fred and when she turned around she was staring straight into his eyes. Fred has always been a few inches taller than her but the wooden step she stood on bridged any height difference between them and provided Daphne with an excellent view of his sparkling azure eyes.

Fred was equally spellbound. He had always assumed Daphne's eyes were blue but now he knew better. Her irises were colored an unusual violet and Fred was drowning in their purple pools. A few seconds later, he registered a rapid thumping in his ears. It took him no time to determine the sound was the racing beat of his own mesmerized heart.

"I'm so what Daph?" Fred voice was a breathless whisper.

"You're so… um… so…" _M__addening, handsome, stubborn, intelligent, sweet… _Over a dozen appropriate adjectives materialized in Daphne's mind.

_**Snap!**_

The sound of the stairs caving in rescued Daphne from Fred's query. However, she soon had another problem. The entire decrepit staircase had collapsed, with them in the middle of it!

"Fred!"

"Daphne!"

Free-falling through pitch blackness, Fred and Daphne managed to link terrified eyes. Neither of them knew what the awaited them on the ground below. As quickly as their dive began though, it ended and the earth below provided nothing to cushion their fall. They landed with a thud.

The mansion itself seemed to laugh as they both were engulfed with agonizing pain and black dots leaped and danced in their vision.


End file.
